Everything's live!

[Best]

Just been at an oil boiler to service it and noticed I was getting little sharp jabs of electric.
If I touched the oil burner and braided oil hose particularly.
I tried my volt stick and when brought near to all parts it lights and sounds on all the boiler - entire casing, burner, external circulating pump and wiring, even when power is switched off it!
House is all on MCBs and RCD so I am surprised nothing is tripping. Something must be seriously wrong, but I am left wondering.
Customer is getting his Spark to come, so I am walking away from it.

 

[stani]

Could just be a corroded Earth on the boiler, most volt sticks light up after around 50-60 volts.

 

[Best]

Could just be a corroded Earth on the boiler, most volt sticks light up after around 50-60 volts.

In other words, - perhaps no earth now connected?
But would that cause me getting little jabs of electric when I touched the boiler?

 

[stani]

Yes,happens a lot particularly on appliances which house liquids, I.e. Water in boilers.
And I think you start feeling Ac voltage something just over 25/30 volts.

 

[Best]

Thanks Stani. I really should have checked the earth connections, but hadn't much time. Customer says he has his Spark coming to do other work and he will sort it, so better he checks it all properly.

 

[stani]

Yea, let him get the shock, when it turns out to be wrongly wired.lol

 

[rpm]

Once had a volt pen light up on a wooden doorframe, they are useful but only as a rough guide tool.

 

[rpm]

Just been at an oil boiler to service it and noticed I was getting little sharp jabs of electric.
If I touched the oil burner and braided oil hose particularly.
I tried my volt stick and when brought near to all parts it lights and sounds on all the boiler - entire casing, burner, external circulating pump and wiring, even when power is switched off it!
House is all on MCBs and RCD so I am surprised nothing is tripping. Something must be seriously wrong, but I am left wondering.
Customer is getting his Spark to come, so I am walking away from it.

Was it a new customer?

 

[stani]

They light up if you rub them in your hair, can't try it though, I haven't had any for a few years.

 

[Best]

Was it a new customer?

Yes, new customer who has an old oil boiler over 20 years old.
Definitely more than just a bit of static electricity - volt stick (Megger) is very accurate at showing live position when against a switch, for example, but is showing live all around the boiler and burner from an inch or two away.

 

[rpm]

Yes, new customer who has an old oil boiler over 20 years old.
Definitely more than just a bit of static electricity - volt stick (Megger) is very accurate at showing live position when against a switch, for example, but is showing live all around the boiler and burner from an inch or two away.

Glad is was a new customer and not something you could get flak for. ie You never found it last year !!!!!! lol

 

[plumben]

Once had a volt pen light up on a wooden doorframe, they are useful but only as a rough guide tool.

I screwed a tile button through a 6mm cable the hole house was live, all the wet plaster, plasterers trowel was making his hand tingle